According to 9to5Mac, a new report from Counterpoint Research shows Apple dominated global smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2025. The iPhone 16 led the market for the third consecutive quarter, capturing 4% of total volume share. Apple secured five of the top ten best-selling spots, an improvement from four spots in the same quarter last year. The top four positions were all iPhone 16 models: the base model at #1, followed by the Pro, Pro Max, and the new iPhone 16e. The iPhone 17 Pro Max even cracked the top ten at #10 despite limited late-quarter availability. The report credits sales boosts in India and Japan for helping the iPhone 16 series weather the seasonal decline caused by the new iPhone 17 launch.
Apple Dominance and Market Shifts
Here’s the thing: Apple taking five of the top ten spots is incredibly dominant. It basically means half the most popular phones on the planet are iPhones. But if you look closer, the story gets more interesting. The report notes that while the standard iPhone 16 held up well, the Pro models saw a “steeper decline.” Why? Because in big markets like the US, UK, and China, more consumers are already jumping to the new iPhone 17 series. So the iPhone 16 is still the overall volume king, but the high-end momentum is rapidly shifting to the newer model. That’s a pretty fast transition.
The Android Story and AI Future
And what about everyone else? Well, Samsung’s Galaxy A16 5G was the best-selling Android phone for the quarter. That tells you a lot. It’s a mid-range device. The flagship Android battles are fierce, but when it comes to pure sales volume, it’s often the more affordable models that crack these global lists. Counterpoint also points to an interesting trend looking ahead: AI features are expected to keep lifting the mid-price segment. Basically, the tech that was exclusive to $1,000 phones last year is trickling down fast, and that’s going to be a major battleground. You can dive deeper into the full report from Counterpoint here.
What This Really Means
So, Apple is in a strong position, but it’s not static. The immediate success of the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the rankings, even with “limited availability,” shows there’s huge pent-up demand for the latest and greatest. It also highlights Apple’s powerful product segmentation. They now have the iPhone 16e covering a more affordable tier, the standard 16 as the volume workhorse, and the Pro models transitioning to become the previous-gen premium option. It’s a machine designed to cover the entire board. But I have to ask: with this much concentration at the top, what does it mean for innovation and competition in the long run? For now, the data is clear. As always, you can follow more of this kind of analysis over on 9to5Mac’s Twitter or their YouTube channel.
